You ain’t gonna believe what happened last week, folks. As you know, there was no column scheduled. Well, I guess “Chemo Brain” is catchable! Come Monday, last week, I really got to working on the column, had every thing done by around 11:30 PM on Wednesday night. I first send my column to the New England Tractor website, via e-mail. Then I go back and post my column on Dirt Track Digest. Around 12:15 AM on Thursday, part one – to New England Tractor was done. I then commenced to work on part two, which is fairly easy to do – posting it on DTD. But to do that I have to separate the heading from the rest of the column, and post it separately. I did that, then posted the column. I then went to “preview” the column, and up comes the 12/06/2012 date. OOPS! Damn! The column wasn’t due until THIS WEEK!
So, a good part of it was already done. I’ll be making some changes, that’s for sure!

First:
There will be no column next week, and columns will be every other week, for a while – at least until the beginning of 2013. Next column will be on December 20th.

Second:
Hoping everyone had a real nice and filling Thanksgiving! At our house, we had plenty to eat. Son Tom Jr., his wife Penny and daughter Marisa came down from Dexter, NY. Son Eric and his girl friend Catherine came over for dinner, too. Weather was nice. Now if we could only get those down in Florida to come up!

Third:
Over the years I’ve had a problem with my sugar. Yes, most of it is/was my fault. I’ve been waiting for the day that I’d start using Insulin as a means of controlling it, and that day finally has come – this past Sunday night I started on it, using one of those pens. Let’s see what happens.
As for the wife – she had IV Chemo treatment # 5 of 8 this past Tuesday. Kind of kicked her butt a little, since she napped for few hours after we got home. It’s about three hour deal for the IV Chemo. Basically we sit and watch TV. Only three more!

Fourth:
Best Indy Car (Champ Car) driver of the 1950’s?
Believe it or not, not many names mentioned!

Fifth:
From a year ago – Volume 82 – 11/24/2011:
“Dec 1, 2004
On December 1, 2004, the wife and I were visiting our daughter down in Florida. At the time I was writing for www.openwheelracing.com a website that Lenny Calinoff had. Lenny was really the one major influence in getting me to write about motor sports – well, with some additional help from the late John LeVan, I should add. It was on December 1, 2004 when Lenny left us, due to a heart problem. Damn, but I still miss him and our private messages and the nightly “Chat room” that we had back then.”

Sixth:

Nothing against the Red Cross, but why is it that the American Red Cross is the only one we see advertised on TV about sending money to, to help with those affected by Sandy? Whatever happened to the Salvation Army and others?

Seventh:

Alex Lloyd is an Indy Car driver. Where he comes from, they don’t have Sprint Cars. He’s heard a lot about the history of American racing and how, in the past, one had to usually come from racing Sprint Cars to get to Indy and the 500. He had the opportunity to drive a Sprint Car – wingless, on dirt. Yes, his eyes were opened!

Alex Lloyd – Sprint car

Eighth:

Over on Facebook, former ARDC driver and President, Ron Lauer posted this, along with a photo:

“1948 Tony Bonadies and Ed “Dutch” Schaefer in the Wheeler team cars.
Tony will join Dutch as a member of the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame at the Induction ceremonies in Tulsa,Ok on Friday Jan.11th. at 11am.
For information on purchasing tickets for the casual dress luncheon go to Kingdoodlebug@sbcglobal.net

Deadline for reservations is December 31,2012”

Note: The photo is at the end of this weeks column in my photo section.

Ninth:

Catalogs:

Maybe you’re like us and get a ton of them in the mail. What I’d love to see – where all the crap they have advertised is made. Betcha over 90% is from China.

Tenth:

I would imagine that there are quite a few out there that would love to do what was done in the video, below. Maybe you know of someone that has done it or had done to them?

Note: As of 2:00 PM on Wednesday, there have been 257 postings on that thread. Some hinting of an earlier Indy 500 start and some looking to see if NASCAR might change the starting time of the World 600 to a little later.

#14-Tony Stewart has passed up a chance to race for Roger Penske in the Indianapolis 500. The three-time NASCAR champion said Wednesday at the International Motorsports Industry Show that he wouldn’t attempt to race in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Penske extended the invitation last week in Las Vegas while accepting the Sprint Cup trophy. Later, when given the chance to shrug it off as a lighthearted moment with Stewart, Penske insisted he was very serious. There has been a push to get Stewart to race in Indianapolis since Penske made the offer, with Indianapolis Motor Speedway starting an online petition for fans to encourage the driver to accept the ride. The Indiana native twice ran both the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. In 1999, he was ninth at Indy and fourth at Charlotte, and in 2001, he was sixth at Indy and third at Charlotte.(Associated Press)(12-5-2012)

Twelfth:
The NASCAR Truck Series will have a race at Eldora in 2013.

Wednesday
Jul 24 Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, OH

Eldora truck test:

Any idea as to what drivers other than regular Truck Series drivers will attempt this race? Think hard – quite a few from Cup and Nationwide have raced on dirt before. My choice to win: Kyle Larson.

Notes: I can truly see a Nationwide race at Eldora in 2014.

Man, didn’t Facebook light up when that schedule came out!

Thirteenth:
Another little tid bit found on Facebook on 11/28/12:
Ocfs Racing
Look For The Return Of The 358S On A Part Time Schedule In 2013!!

Note: Pretty sure that was also mentioned in a previous column? What they do not say in that post above is that, from what I’ve heard/read, no more Open Sportsman, just Crates at OCFS. 358’s every other week. Question is: How many from either the Open or Crate Sportsman classes will move up, with them only racing every other week – or is there a chance that they could go weekly? I do not expect any “outsiders” like Hearn coming to OCFS to run both big and small blocks the same nights – unless maybe they went to a weekly schedule right off the bat. Might there also be an increase in admission when the 358’s run?

Fourteenth:

What a clever idea! Yes, Christmas cards. This is coming early so that you can get ready to include an important address to your list.

Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD this year.

As they are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice, card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world. Make sure it says “Merry Christmas” on it.

Here’s the address, just don’t be rude or crude:

ACLU
125 Broad Street , 18th Floor
New York , NY 10004

Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations because they wouldn’t know if any were regular mail containing contributions. So spend 45 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a ” Holiday Tree”. It’s always been called a CHRISTMAS TREE!

And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!

For those of you who aren’t aware of them, the ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing theU.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything religious away from us. They represent the atheists and others in this war. Help put Christ back in Christmas!

** Suggestion: Pass this on to your church, co-workers, family, and friends. What do you have to lose but 45 cents, what do you have to gain — more than you may ever know possible.

Fifteenth:

Since this is close to December 2nd, I thought I throw it in that on 12/02/1960, “Uncle Sam” said he needed me more than the Grand Union Company did, and I was drafted into the Army. – a little less than three months after we were married. After Basic Training, I re-enlisted, figuring as long as I was going to be in, I might as well do what I wanted to do. In a way, I guess it was a good move. Took the Basic Army Administration Course at Fort Dix, after Basic Training, then was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, and I got there towards the end of May in 1961. I was interviewed by Sergeant First Class Harold Redfern. He asked me if I’d like to work for him. I told him I’d like that. Stayed there until 02/28/1964, when I was discharged. Left as an E-5. The wife got down there towards the end of summer – pregnant with our first. Judy was born on November 22nd. A couple of years later, Sandra was born – August 9th, 1963.

Sixteenth:

Rules in racing:

Can you think of any that have saved the racers any money? Hard to, isn’t it? I recall one time when John Snyder made mention of the rule book for OCFS being ONE PAGE. Today, it’s like a phone book.
There’s some interesting things said on the Dirt Track Digest’s Forum about Smaller Radiators. Yes, rules have made it so there’s no more ingenuity in racing any more.

City Ready to Release $1 Million For Hinchliffe Repairs
Joe Malinconico
Wednesday, November 21, 2012 • 9:48am
PATERSON, NJ – The city is ready to move ahead in spending $1 million that it borrowed two years ago to pay for repairs to Hinchliffe Stadium.
The money would goes towards the basic stabilization of the crumbling landmark, one of three stadiums still standing where old Negro League baseball games were played. But the funds would not cover the comprehensive renovations needed to restore the stadium to regular use, a job that officials say will likely cost more than $15 million.
Representatives of The Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium and the National Trust for Historic Preservation pitched the stabilization project at Tuesday night’s City Council workshop meeting. The council indicated it would vote to release the funds at an upcoming meeting.
The city would lose a $500,000 New Jersey Historic Trust grant if it does not put up its own money to match those funds by February 1, officials said.
In addition to the city funds and historic grant, the project also would get $198,000 from Paterson Public Schools funded through the federal government and a $30,000 grant that the Friends of Hinchliffe got through the 1772 Foundation.
The plan is to spend $1.2 million on stabilization work and $528,000 on planning and analysis for the long-range repairs.
Walter Gallas, a field director for the National Trust, a private, nonprofit group that works on historic preservation projects, said starting the stabilization work will make it easier to generate contributions for the more costly renovations. “After all these years, we’re closer than ever before to begin making a difference at the stadium,’’ Gallas said.
“We definitely want to bring it back,’’ said City Council President Anthony Davis, who played football at the stadium for Kennedy High.
Councilman Rigo Rodriguez said the city needed to make plans for traffic parking as it moves forward with Hinchliffe renovations. Brian LoPinto, one of the founders of Friends of Hincliffe, said those issues would be addressed when the project moves further along.

Usually at night, just prior to going to bed, I play Internet Scrabble. Of course, prior to getting into the games there are commercials. This past Sunday night one of them was in SPANISH! WTH?

And, watching some football on Sunday, man, do back up quarterbacks suck!

While on the subject of football – do you know there are some college teams in Bowl games this season that have LOSING records? WTH? Quite a few have 6-6 records, too. Once, there was a time when there were just a few bowl games, like Sugar, Cotton, Sun and Rose. Today, there are umpteen bowl games. Talk about getting something watered down!

Twentieth:

Here are some links to various websites where you might find some interesting things, gift-wise, for family and friends.

http://www.aarn.com/ (subscription)

http://www.coastal181.com/

http://www.davesracing.com/

http://www.emmr.org/

http://www.hotlapsracin.com/hotparts.htm

http://www.modelroundup.com/category-s/94.htm

http://www.ssspeedways.com/

http://www.pitstopbooks.com/videos-snyder.html

http://www.tbrwins.com/ (Kart items)

http://www.racerspreferredmodels.com/

http://www.behrents.com/

Of course there are other things that one could get as a gift – like a season pass to ones favorite track, or maybe a pit pass for your favorite driver?

Or better yet, if your loved one is a race driver, and races in a vehicle that has a roll cage – how about buying him some insurance? We’ve all read of drivers being injured last year, and I often wondered if they had insurance over and beyond what the tracks had.

For insurance: http://www.stida.com/

Twenty-first:

Rules for the 358 Modified division are now posted on the official web sight.

One of my salesmen here had a woman in his office yesterday wanting to lease a brand new Focus.

As he was reviewing her credit application with her he noticed she was on social security disability.

He said to her you don’t look like you’re disabled and unable to work.

She said well I’m really not. I could work if I wanted to, but I make more now than I did when I was working and got hurt (non-disabling injury).

She said the gov’t sends her $1500.00 a month in 1 check. And she gets $700.00 a month on an EBT card (food stamps), and $800.00 a month for rent.

Oh yeah, and 250 minutes free on her phone.

That is just south of $3500.00 a month.

When she was working, she was taking home about $330.00 per week.

Do the math and then ask yourself why the hell should she go back to work.

If you multiply that by millions of people, you start to realize the scope of the problem we face as a country.

Once the socialists have 51% of the population in that same scenario, we are finished.

The question is when do we cross that threshold if we haven’t already, and there are not enough people working to pay enough taxes to support the non-working people? Riots?? Be prepared to protect your homes.

She didn’t lease the Focus here because the dealer down the road beat our deal by $10.00/month.

Every day I look in the paper and see baseball players being signed to outrageous contracts, when either staying with a team or going elsewhere. In most cases, those players never would have made the majors – back in the day.

What’s so sad is that there are never any “performance clauses” in those contracts. I found this, on Wednesday, while on the Internet:

“For the Jets, the decision to keep Sanchez as the starter has far more to do with finances than performance. The team gave Sanchez, the fifth-overall selection in the 2009 NFL draft, a five-year, $58.5 million contract extension in March of this year that guarantees him $8.25 million in 2013 whether he plays or not. This season, he’s completed just 55 percent of his passes, and thrown 13 interceptions to 12 touchdowns.”

Twenty-fifth:

From a Yahoo! Race History Group e-mail:

Former local race driver George Wilkins has passed away. A victim of spine cancer, the wheelchair-bound Wilkins had attended the September 29th “Race Chaser” luncheon at the Pit Stop Bar-Be-Q when Steve Stapp and Pancho Carter were our guests. His obit follows:
George Wilkins, 51, a lifelong resident of the Traders Point area of Pike Township, passed away on December 3, 2012, following a long battle with cancer. George was born November 6, 1961 and graduated from Pike High School in 1980. He was a talented gymnast at Indiana State before graduating from Ball State University with a degree in telecommunications/video production.
George worked in video and film, most notably the film “Hoosiers” and won numerous Addy and Telly Awards. He served as Gaffer, Grip, Writer, Producer, and Director during his career in video. George came from an auto racing family, following in his father’s footsteps, racing sprint cars and midgets. George won the 1986 “Rookie of the Year” in the World Wide Auto Racing Group and the 1995 sprint car track championship at Paragon Speedway. George leaves a legacy of friendship, a testament to courage, and a passion for fatherhood.
George is survived by his wife of 24 years, Crista Cockerill Wilkins, and his children Emma, age 14, and Eddie, age 10. He was preceded in death by his parents, George E. Wilkins, and his mother, Patricia Gault Wilkins.
Calling will be held on Friday, December 7, 2012 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Flanner and Buchanan – Zionsville , where a Celebration of Life Service will also be held on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 11 a.m. A private burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Pike Township.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the George Wilkins Memorial Children’s Education Fund, at any branch of Old National Bank.
You are invited to offer you condolences, share a memory, or watch a video tribute to George’s life at:

http://www.flannerbuchanan.com

Timothy A McQuinn

Found on Jayski’s website:

http://www.jayski.com/

ISC steps up to help Staten Island storm victims:

The multi-pronged campaign to provide relief for the many Staten Islanders devastated by Superstorm Sandy got a sizable boost this week from an unexpected source the International Speedway Corp (ISC). You’ll recall that ISC and Staten Island did not part company on the best of terms, after borough residents and most elected officials soundly reject the company’s effort to build a massive, 82,500-seat NASCAR racetrack in Bloomfield. But that’s all ancient history now. Florida-based ISC finally gave up on its plan in 2006 and walked away from its goal of having a track on Staten Island. Most Staten Islanders have forgotten the controversy. The company’s leaders didn’t forget about Staten Island, however. As soon as they learned of the devastation caused here by Hurricane Sandy, they made inquiries about who was helping the victims on Staten Island. And, then the company donated $5,000 to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which has been heavily involved in the relief effort. ISC President John Saunders told the Advance the damage to the borough “was shocking to see. What happened on Staten Island was catastrophic. We felt we had to do something.”(Staten Island Live)(11-25-2012)

Son of Newman’s crewman killed in ATV accident: info added:

A Salisbury family is grieving after their 7-year-old son was killed in an ATV accident outside their home on Thursday. On Friday, family friends said the boy’s father, Andy Rueger, is a crew member for NASCAR driver #39-Ryan Newman. They said 7-year-old Bryce Rueger used to ride around the yard all the time on the family’s ATV, often with his father. They said he was familiar with the machine and that Rueger stressed safety with his children. Andy Rueger works as the gas man for Newman, and the NASCAR driver said Friday that they’re working on setting up a memorial fund.(WWOC)(11-24-2012)
For services info and to sign a guest book, go to cavin-cook.com and to help the family, go to theBryce Rueger Memorial Fund page.(11-25-2012)

2012 Stewie Awards:

Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and Matt Yocum hosted the 6th Annual Stewie Awards live from the Cabo Wabo Cantina at the Miracle Mile Shops on the Las Vegas Strip on Thu., Nov. 29. The annual highlight of NASCAR Champions Week honored the best, boldest and funniest moments from the NASCAR season. The Stewie Awards featured live interviews with several of Stewart’s competitors in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, plus other special guests. Fan votes helped determine the Stewie Award winners.
During the show, Tony and Matt also presented the special Golden Stewie Award to Dr. Dick Berggren and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Bob Jenkins.

The award recipients:

Best Original Drama: Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson
Bonehead Move of the Year Award: Danica Patrick
“Feels Like The First Time” Award: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Best Vocal Performance: Tony Stewart
Best “Driver2Crew Chatter”: Carl Edwards
Best Original Comedy: Matt Kenseth
Hal Needham Award (Best Stunt Sequence): Juan Pablo Montoya (jet dryer)
‘Boys, Have At It” Award: Jeff Gordon vs. Clint Bowyer
The Social Stewie Award: Matt Kenseth
See images at siriusxm.com/stewieawards.(SiriusXM and explanations of the awards at the Charlotte Observer)(12-1-2012)

Keselowski staying with long-term Penske deal:

After #2-Brad Keselowski had such a strong season in 2011, he signed a contract extension with Penske Racing that was termed a multiple-year agreement. His 2012 Sprint Cup championship so far hasn’t resulted in anything new or different. Keselowski said that increasing the length of his contract hasn’t been discussed in the weeks following his championship run. “I’ve got plenty of years left on my current one,” Keselowski said, while not revealing how long his current contract is for. “So there’s no reason to rush into it. I think we all just want to enjoy what we’ve got right now.” Team owner Roger Penske also said there was no urgency. It is believed that Keselowski’s deal is through at least 2014 or 2015. “We have a long-term agreement,” Penske said. “We have options. As long as you’re successful, I don’t think you need a contract.” Crew chief Paul Wolfe also signed a multiyear deal after last season.(Sporting News)(12-2-2012)

Hamlin Lobbied for Kenseth:

#11-Denny Hamlin believes Matt Kenseth will be a perfect fit for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he made his feelings known when Kenseth started discussions with the organization. JGR announced in early September that Kenseth would drive the #20 Toyota for the organization next year. Roughly two months earlier, Roush Fenway Racing had reveled Kenseth would be leaving after 13 seasons of full-time Sprint Cup racing for that organization. “I was one that definitely pushed for Matt to come over to Gibbs, and I just think that he’s really going to mesh well with me and Kyle (Busch),” Hamlin said. “I know that Kyle does a lot of short-track racing with Matt’s son (Ross Kenseth), and I know that me and Matt have very similar driving styles on the race track. I look forward to that communication and just hearing about how he did things versus how we do things, and, really, that’s what makes teams stronger. When Kyle came over in 2008, it was that drive that kind of pushed me to that next level –having someone come over and push you to be better. I think it’s going to be no different with Matt.”(NASCAR Wire Service)(12-2-2012)

Earnhardt Regrets Hiding Injury:

In part, the 2012 Cup season will be remembered for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s exit from the #88 Chevy because of a concussion. In retrospect, Earnhardt regrets not taking a hiatus from competition sooner than he did. On Aug. 29, during a tire test at Kansas, Earnhardt sustained a concussion in a hard crash. He knew he was hurt but decided to keep the severity of his injury to himself. A subsequent crash at Talladega caused a second concussion and forced Earnhardt from the car for two races. “I think I should have taken the first concussion more seriously,” Earnhardt said Thursday, after being honored as the sport’s most popular driver for the 10th straight year. “I think I should have been smarter about it the first time, when we crashed at Kansas. I didn’t feel good, and I started getting nauseous after that. I knew right then, for damn sure, that I had a really bad concussion. I wish I would have taken that more seriously. I don’t know if it would have changed anything. It’s a tough decision to make, going into the Chase. I’d dealt with concussions before, and I thought that I’d just drive through it, and it’s be over in a couple of weeks&But I wasn’t lucky enough to avoid another accident, so I feel foolish in that regard, that I was careless.” Missing two races cost Earnhardt any possibility of winning his first championship and dropped him to 12th in the final standings.(NASCAR Wire Service)(12-1-2012)

Kevin Harvick won’t confirm that he will drive for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014, but he did confirm last week in Las Vegas that he is preparing for his departure from Richard Childress Racing after next season. Harvick said he already has talked to Matt Kenseth about how to handle such a situation Harvick is expected to run his final season for RCR next year, and all signs point to him driving for Tony Stewart beginning in 2014. Harvick has not denied reports that he will move to Stewart’s team starting in 2014, and team owner Richard Childress has already acknowledged that Harvick will be moving on. “You look at a lot of situations that are around you that you can kind of take advice from people and things and just try to do the best that you can,” Harvick said at the Sprint Cup Awards banquet in Las Vegas last week. Everybody wants to know what’s going on or what’s going to happen or how it is going to work and we want to tell everybody, & but we’re just not in a position.(Sporting News)(12-3-2012)

Auto Racing the favorite sport of few Americans:

What do auto racing, soccer, tennis and golf have in common? All received less than 5 percent in a recent poll asking Americans to name their favorite sport. A Rasmussen Reports poll released Sunday found that football, not surprisingly, was far and away the national pastime in the United States (53 percent said it was their No. 1 sport to follow). Baseball was a distant second with 16 percent. Basketball (11 percent) and hockey (6 percent) were next, but none of the other sports reached the 5 percent mark. The poll did not specifically name the percentage for auto racing but mentioned it along with soccer, golf and tennis.(SB Nation), NASCAR was not a specific option in the questions, just the general term of auto racing.(12-4-2012)

Jones wins the Snowball Derby:

16-year-old Erik Jones won the 45th annual Snowball Derby, in part by besting NASCAR star Kyle Busch at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL. Jones became the second consecutive 16 year old to win America’s most prestigious short-track race, a year after Chase Elliott became the event’s youngest winner. Jeff Choquette finished 2nd followed by Kyle Busch, Jeff Fultz and Chase Elliott. More info at snowballderby.com and 51sports.com.(12-3-2012)

Foundation to honor Guthrie:

Janet Guthrie will be honored at the 10th Women in the Winner’s Circle Awards Celebration Dec. 7 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Guthrie, who in 1977 became the first woman to start in the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500, will be presented the Mildred Marcum Pioneer award. Her ninth-place finish in the 1978 Indianapolis 500, with a team she formed and managed, was the best by a woman until 2005. In 1980, she was inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006. The Women in the Winner’s Circle Celebration is the foundation’s major fundraiser, celebrating the success of women in racing. For information and reservations, visit www.lynstjames.com.(indycar.com)(12-3-2012)

NASCAR submits rules package to teams:

NASCAR provided teams with the long-awaited rules package for the new car that will debut in the 2013 Daytona 500 in February. The first test with the package, which was distributed Tuesday, will be held Dec. 11-12 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. About 14 drivers so far are on the list to test, but teams will be allowed for this session only to bring in multiple drivers and additional cars to participate. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president for competition, said there are a few minor things the governing body continues to work on to improve the handling of the cars around each other, but added this basically is the package teams will have for Daytona. “We’ve told them what splitters and spoilers they’ll use,” said Pemberton, noting the splitters will have a different shape to improve aerodynamics. “They know what they need for suspensions and stuff like that.” Getting the final rules package has been a concern for several team owners. Pemberton said the package was the culmination of more than a year of research and testing to find what will improve cars being able to pass and race better around each other. The front grandstand at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be open and free to the general public.(ESPN)(12-5-2012)

Michael Waltrip Racing invests in auto research center:

The opportunity to be part of the racetrack and automotive-research center being built on the site of Cooper Stadium [in Columbus, OH] was just too tempting for NASCAR team owner and driver Michael Waltrip to pass up. Waltrip announced that he and his racing team will be investors in the Sports Pavilion & Automotive Research Complex, or SPARC, being developed on the stadium site. “He had me from racetrack,” the two-time Daytona 500 winner said of his initial discussions with Bill Schottenstein, principal of Arshot Investment Corp., developer of the complex. “Having my hands on designing and helping to build a racetrack is very exciting.” Waltrip and Schottenstein both declined to say how much the team invested. The SPARC complex will include a half-mile racetrack with 8,500 seats, a 50,000-square-foot office building for the research center, 1,900 parking spaces, a hotel and meeting center, and four or five sites for restaurants or stores along Mound Street. It’s unlikely, but possible an actual NASCAR race could take place at SPARC, Waltrip said. Waltrip Racing is based in Cornelius, N.C., and will use SPARC as a satellite operation and test center. Most tracks of the quality of SPARC, Waltrip said, are already connected to an existing NASCAR race, which means teams can’t test their cars there. Cooper Stadium closed in 2008, and one of the goals of the new project is to spark the revitalization of the Franklinton area just west of Downtown.(Columbus Dispatch)(12-5-2012)

Going back, in time:

George Rice was inducted into the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame a couple of weeks ago.

Here is the last part of his win list from when he drove Midgets here in the Northeast. The rest of his wins were in my last column.

Notes: Champion at Bridgeport, CT and West Haven, CT
Drove a variety of cars, Bourgnon #36, Smith #21, Jolson #, Curtis #8 Hagedorn Cycle
Broke the 25 lap track record at Stafford Springs on August 20th, 6:18.52 his first race at Stafford.
June 5- Polo Grounds board track in New York City, finished in 2nd place.

Notes:
Designed and built his own car and engine over the winter, Sally Strickland says that the car won it’s first race out at either Thompson
Avon. From what I have collected, it wasn’t at Avon as Schindler won the opening race there and Rice was shut out of victory lane that year at
Avon. Need to look into this some more.
June 30th was final midget race of the season at West Haven.
Bridgeport also stopped weekly midget racing in late May. Both tracks switched to
weekly programs featuring stock cars.
Announced his retirement from racing at West Springfield on August 6th. Didn’t last long
Oct. 3- Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA- finished 5th in 200 lap
AAA National Championship race.

Notes:
He had a bout with Polio in August, suffered from paralysis of portions of the left side including his arm and leg. Doctors were amazed at how
he responded to treatment. One month later he was back at Century Stadium winning the 50 lap feature!

In 1952, George was a team member on the Briggs Cunningham LeMans race team, being partnered with the late John Fitch.

From their November 20th issue:
When the Tobias SpeedSTR’s race at Kutztown in 2013, they’ll do it minus the small wings they have over the cages.
Mike Van Duser, President of the CRSA, will let the teams decide if they want to stay with American Racer tires or go back to allowing them a choice.
Joe Plazek will be inducted into the FOAR Hall of Fame on December 8th.
Georgetown Speedway had to cut their purse on November 17th, due to low car counts and also low fan turn out.
The USAC Silver Crown Series will join the USAC Midgets at the 36th Bellville Nationals, on August 1st to 3rd.
There was a pretty good sized ad for “Langhorne Memories” – three DVD’s.
# 1: “Langhorne Thriller” – The 1951 RoC race that started 120 cars and had a 60 car wreck.
# 2: “Best of Langhorne” – 1950 – early 1960’s Stocks & Midgets.
# 3: “Champ Cars at Langhorne” – 1950 – early 1960’s – Champ Cars NASCAR Speedway Cars.
They sell for $17.00 each or three for $45.00. You would have to send the form and a check or money order to AARN/Langhorne Memories PO Box 8547 Trenton, NJ 08650. Credit Card customers have to call: 609-888-3618.
Banquets:
Danny Dietrich was the 410 champion at Lincoln.
Ryan Tidman was the ATQMRA’s 2012 champion.
Duane Howard was the Modified champion for Grandview.
Tom Tombarello, Jr. was the Lee USA Speedway’s NASCAR Super Modified champion.
Chris Donnelly was the SCoNE champion.
Randy Cabral – NEMA Midgets and Ian Cumens – NEMA Lights were the NEM champions for 2012.
Note: None of the articles made mention of any monies won.
There was a 2/3 page ad for the Hamlin Speedway’s banquet, where Kyle Lick was the 600 Wingless Micro Sprint champion. Again, no mention of monies won.
While looking at that article, I thought back to when my son, Eric, and I, were attending a race car show over in Newburgh, NY quite a few years ago – had to be late 1997 or early 1998. There was a tiny Kart on display – which we found out was a “Kid Kart”. It was a beginner’s class Kart, and Eric’s son, Brett, was of the right age. Back then, Eric worked for Eric Koster at Kneisel’s. Eric checked into what was needed, parts wise, ordered them, and made a “Kid Kart” for Brett – designing the chassis, and making it at work. The only place we raced that year was at Hamlin, and Brett ended up being the Kid Kart champion – their first, in 1998. Some of those that were in that Kid Kart class, back then, still race today – Billy VanInwegen, Justin Grosz and Tiffany Wambold, to name a few.

Lenny Sammons:
Clay on Airborne? Just might be. No, not permanently, but maybe for just a couple of races in 2013. A Friday, July 27th date has been secured for the WoO Sprint Cars and an SDS race the following week. Plans for this however, are still up in the air.

From their November 27th issue:
New Egypt Speedway is installing an automated track watering system, and a new clay surface. 358 Modified feature winners next year get $2,500.00 for wins on regular race nights. $175.00 to take the green.
At Wall Stadium, for their Turkey races – only 14 TQ’s?
John Snyder:
Mr. Snyder had a nice, touching article/column on his late wife, Barbara, who passed away recently.
Ted Christopher was the Modified champion at Stafford.
Tim Buckwalter was the ARDC’s driving champion.
Nick Pecko was the Mountain Speedway Modified champion.
Kevin Chaffee was the USAC Dirt Midget Association (DMA) driving champion.
T. J. Zacharias was the Chemung Modified driving champion.
Craig Mintz was the Freemont Speedway 410 Sprint Car driving champion.
Craig Mintz was the Attica Raceway 410 Sprint Car driving champion.
Rob Neely was the Can-Am Midget driving champion.
Kenny Pettyjohn was the Late Model driving champion at Virginia’s Winchester Speedway.
Note: In all the notices on those above, there was never any mention of any monies won. Wonder why this happens anymore?
Chuck Hebing was the Lucas Oil ESS driving champion, and he ended up with $8.852.00, which also included a $1,300.00 shot gun.
Terry McCarl was the Knoxville Raceway driving champion, and they gave out over $250,000.00
Hey! Don’t forget:
AARN subscribers will be able to enjoy both print and digital issues as of January 8, 2013! Digital will be available on Tuesday mornings, while the paper will still arrive (hopefully!) later in the week at your home. Due to cost increases, the AARN has been forced to increase their charge for a years subscription to $51.00 for the 50 issues. Current subscribers will continue to be charged the $49.00, however.
To subscribe to the digital service, you have to send an e-mail to the AARN at: sub@aarn.com You must include your name, complete postal address and your e-mail address.
And, in this weeks (12/4) issue:
In AARN
This Week:

I saw on Facebook where Roger Coss posted he was 8th at Wall Stadium on 11/24, in the Modified 100 lap feature. Also, at Wall, Rich Coons was 3rd in the Dirt Modified (Sportsman?) feature on Sunday.

Press Releases:
Work on the Action track (Kutztown) is going well and looking great ! There is a lot of action for cars if anyone has used cars and maybe looking to update there old let me know we have people looking for used and the supply is running short for them . opening day for the Action track will be Sunday March 17 which will be Media day and practice . All engine rebuilds right now will be 4-5 week behind so if you are planning please get them here ASAP to avoid delays .Have a Happy Holiday Rich

Speedway Entertainment
Home of the Slingshot by Tobias
Home of the SpeedSTR
www.speedwayentertainment.com

Elko Speedway to cover pavement for unique dirt event on Friday, May 10

ELKO, Minn. – Nov. 27, 2012 – For the first time since a successful two-year stint at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2000-01, the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Cars will compete on a pavement track temporarily covered in dirt in 2013.
Elko Speedway, a 3/8-mile pavement track located approximately a half hour south of Minneapolis, will host its first-ever World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event on Friday, May 10.
Sammy Swindell, who won twice on the dirt-caked Bristol Motor Speedway, touted the job of covering Bristol Motor Speedway as a success. He also added that it levels the playing field for all competitors.
“You don’t know what you’re going to be up against until you get there,” Swindell said.
While it will be the first World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event at Elko Speedway, it’s far from the first race on dirt at the semi-banked oval. Track owner Tom Ryan said Elko Speedway is covered in dirt each fall to end the season and begin the ensuing season. A variety of events are held on the dirt before it is pealed for the pavement season.
“We do it all the time,” Ryan said. “It’s not so much a new thing for us to have dirt on our track, but to have the World of Outlaws is certainly huge.
“We’ve had nothing but success on dirt. It really, truly is a progressive banking. For sprint cars, there are three full grooves all around the track. They can run low. They can run high. They can run a diamond pattern. We see it all.”

Every racer dreams of the season Ryan Higgs had for his 2012 campaign clinching his first Xcel Chassis championship in high fashion.
The Nazareth, Pa native can’t remember when racing wasn’t a part of life in the Higgs household. “Some of my earliest memories are going to Nazareth Speedway with my grandfather Jack Zeiner Sr . I was too little to appreciate the history he was a part of until I got older. What I did learn I take with me every time me my dad Chris and my uncle Jack pull into a track to race. ”
Ryan learned his way around racing helping his uncle at the now closed but still talked about Moc-A-Tek Speedway and the ever popular Five Mile Speedway located in Lisle, Ny. His first time behind the wheel was his uncles street stock at Moc-a-Tek for warm ups and the following weekend at Five Mile Point Speedway doing warm ups again. Who would have guessed a racing career would come full circle when one of the first tracks he drove would also be the one where he would clinch the 2012 Xcel Chassis 600 modified championship.
During the winter of 2007, Ryan decided he wanted to drive his own race car and with his families support looked into different classes. He had heard about the Xcel Chassis series and the affordability to run full time all season. ” It’s not like it used to be when my grandfather raced. Now a days you go to a speed shop to get your parts instead of the junk yard. I didn’t want to get into a car I couldn’t run every week because of finances and the Xcel Modifieds seemed the way to go. It’s not all about the wallet but more about the racer and doing your homework.” Starting out in a used car that year gave Ryan the learning curve he needed to start his racing career and work towards his goal.
Coming into the 2012 season Ryan had set his goal of winning the championship and little did he know this would be the year that Ryan Higgs could only have dreamed of with an average of 4.4 for the season finishing in the top 5 13 out of 17 races with 2 wins for the year. The most memorable win was the last lap pass at Grandview Speedway in April and the second win would come towards the end of the season with Higgs taking home a “King of the Can” plaque courtesy of Penn Can Speedway. The only night Ryan finished out of the top ten was at Black Rock Speedway after a multi car wreck with a torn up front axle.
Sponsors have played a big role in today’s economy. Jim Flurers of Flurers Auto Body has been the primary sponsor for the #16 of Higgs since 2007 with SR Recycling and Joe’s Garage coming on board later. “It’s so hard to find a sponsor these days let alone have one stay with you for 5 years. Jim has always been a big supporter of mine and I can’t thank him enough for sticking with us.”
Ryan and his family will cap the 2012 season with the champion being crowned at the Xcel Chassis Banquet on December 1st . Brian Mady stated how the majority of Ryan’s competitors felt on his year. “You couldn’t ask for a better champion than Ryan. The way he carries himself on and off the track makes him an all around good guy. He treats everybody with respect whether you’re a veteran or a rookie. He takes what he learns and passes it on. The whole team deserves it and I hope they enjoy every minute of it.
I asked Ryan on his plans for the 2013 season and at this point a decision hasn’t been made. He will be making an appearance at the AARN Motorsports show held in January and hopes to have his plans in place by then.
After reliving the 2012 season, Ryan didn’t know how he could thank his dad for all the late nights in the garage and the advise thru out the year. “Consistency is the key to any championship. You can bring home a win but at the end of the season I wanted to bring the championship home. Since I started in 2007, my dad, Chris, has been by my side thru the highs and lows. I can remember when I blew the head gasket on my mom’s car on the way to the track knowing she wasn’t happy about it. When we pulled into my driveway at the end of the night my mom and dad came outside but when my dad walked over the race car and asked if it was good versus asking about mom’s car it wasn’t a good thing. Now looking back I realize that my dad and I had memories that could never be taken away just like I had with my grandfather.”
“”I wouldn’t have been able to do this if it wasn’t for my dad being there all these years. All the time and effort he invested this year alone is overwhelming and just saying thanks doesn’t seem to do it justice. At the beginning of the year, we sat in the garage and talked a lot about the memories from Nazareth and Mok-a-Tek and how cool it would be to win the championship. Now I can look back at 2012 with pride and say to my dad, “Thanks for the memories.”

Fulfilling its vision to take the venerable brand to new heights as a full-fledged media company, National Speed Sport News begins SPEED SPORT TV
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – National Speed Sport News, which relaunched in March with an all-new monthly magazine, has partnered with Emmy-award winning producer Jim Roller to spearhead its video, television and production efforts under the SPEED SPORT TV flag.

Roller, who has enjoyed a 31-year career in broadcasting, has produced or directed programs for three major networks (ABC, NBC and CBS) as well as every major cable entity in the United States (ESPN, TNN, USA, TBS Superstation, FOX Sports and SPEED). He has produced pay-per-view programs including NASCAR Winston Cup racing, boxing, college football and basketball.

While spearheading the development of the new SPEED SPORT TV and its related initiatives, Roller will continue in his role as senior producer for the American Le Mans Series, which airs on the FOX Media group and the ESPN family of networks in 2013.

Turn 3 Media, LLC, a North Carolina company founded by motorsports media veterans Ralph Sheheen, Curt Moon and Joe Tripp, continues to advance its aggressive strategy to provide comprehensive motorsports news and information to fans across all forms of media.

“National Speed Sport News is the most trusted name in American motorsports journalism and soon we’ll be taking the brand to areas never dreamed of just a few years ago,” said Sheheen. “As more fans get their motorsports video from a wide variety of sources, it’s imperative that SPEED SPORT works to serve those fans on their terms. Jim Roller is the ideal person to lead our company into that arena.”

SPEED SPORT TV will include an online video channel featuring on-demand and streaming events, professional video and television production services, and will also develop and produce programs for broadcast.

The group plans to announce additional details at IMIS 2012 in Indianapolis Dec. 6-8.

Lest you began to think the ‘progressives’ were done using the Cloward and Piven Strategy, think again. Regulations, entitlements and widespread government dependency all continue to swell dramatically, and all of that Marxist agenda is pushing us ever closer and faster towards the end game. And here is a reminder of just what that end game
The comment left by ‘EddyJames’ on Nov. 24 is perhaps the most appropriate response to that piece.

If you are a business owner, you are well aware that President Obama has imposed over 6,000 new regulations on businesses in just 90 days. This doesn’t even begin to address the massive amount of regulations imposed over the last 4 years. The bigger picture is that it’s all part of his plan to “OVERWHELM” the system.

Karl Marx said that capitalism will eventually fail and that communism is the solution and end game. He says you can wait for that to happen, or you can accelerate the process by overwhelming the system and destroying capitalism. There will be so much chaos that it is easy to take away rights and take control as the government savior.
Once that occurs, you implement communism. This process can only be understood by the “enlightened” government leaders (Obama and the like). The masses are too stupid and ignorant to understand how good communism will be for them, so they need to be forced down that path, by any and all means possible. Lie, deceive, create class and race warfare issues, and use catastrophes (and if there are none, make some up; the ends justify the means.) That is why every time Obama speaks about anything, you will notice that it is always very dramatic (and the world will end if we don’t do it right away.) Examples include Obamacare and his “Jobs bill.”
If the progression is not fast enough, then Karl Marx says you need to kill people to help the greater good achieve “enlightenment”. That is why in Russia, they killed 60 million of their own people, for the greater good. Of course, the greater good is so the top 3% in government leadership can have all power and wealth and remove all means for the masses to ever be able to topple them, including taking all rights, removing all weapons, and eliminating religion.
To deflect those who say that Obama is not a Marxist..
His favorite college professors are Marxists, his favorite books were written by Marxists, his parents and grandparents were Marxists, their friends were Marxists, and his administration is full of Marxists. I know they don’t like that term; it is “progressives” now.
As dumb as he seems, I actually believe he knows what he is doing. The unfortunate part is that we don’t think it could ever happen here, and we don’t know enough about communism to realize what is happening.
Most of us don’t even know much about our own Constitution and the reasoning and brilliance behind its development.
Read the Federalist Papers and other writings from our Founders; they knew we would want to move towards socialism, and so they wrote the Constitution the best they could to prevent that.

And, this one, too:

THIS IS FOR ALL REAL AMERICANS TO READ, read the Reuters website, AMERICANS MADE AMERICA WHAT IT IS,
and since our revolutionary war, NO ! OTHER COUNTRY HAS EVER CAME TO THE AID OF THE UNITED STATES FOR ANY REASON, IT IS AMERICA THAT HAS ALWAYS BAILED OUT THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE DO NOT NEED THE REST OF THE WORLD TELLING US HOW TO RUN AMERICA.

Sent: Saturday, December 1, 2012 2:14 PM
Subject: Gun Control

Surprise Surprise!!!

A lot of people have sworn to support and defend the constitution against all enemies — foreign and domestic. Last time I looked… 2nd amendment was part of the constitution.

Civil War is Coming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States reversed policy on Wednesday and said it would back launching talks on a treaty to regulate arms sales as long as the talks operated by consensus, a stance critics said gave every nation a veto. The decision, announced in a statement released by the U.S. State Department, overturns the position of former President George W. Bush’s administration, which had opposed such a treaty on the grounds that national controls were better. On Wednesday Obama Took the First Major Step in a Plan to Ban All Firearms in the United States.

The Obama administration intends to force gun control and a complete ban on all weapons for US citizens through the signing of international treaties with foreign nations. By signing international treaties on gun control, the Obama administration can use the US State Department to bypass the normal legislative process in Congress. Once the US Government signs these international treaties, all US citizens will be subject to those gun laws created by foreign governments. These are laws that have been developed and promoted by organizations such as the United Nations and individuals such as George Soros and Michael Bloomberg. The laws are designed and intended to lead to the complete ban and confiscation of all firearms. The Obama administration is attempting to use tactics and methods of gun control that will inflict major damage to our 2nd Amendment before US citizens even understand what has happened. Obama can appear before the public and tell them that he does not intend to pursue any legislation (in the United States) that will lead to new gun control laws, while cloaked in secrecy, his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is committing the US to international treaties and foreign gun control laws.

What it means is that there will be no publicized gun control debates in the media or votes in Congress.

We will wake up one morning and find that the United States has signed a treaty that prohibits firearm and ammunition manufacturers from selling to the American public.

We will wake up another morning and find that the US has signed a treaty that prohibits any transfer of firearm ownership. And then, we will wake up yet another morning and find that the US has signed a treaty that requires US citizens to deliver any firearm they own to the local government collection and destruction center or face imprisonment. This is not a joke nor a false warning. As sure as government health care has been forced on us by the Obama administration, so will gun control. Please forward this message to others who may be concerned about the direction in which our country is headed.

We are being led like a lamb to the slaughter house. DON’T KEEP THIS – SEND IT TO YOUR LIST.

Note: Did you watch the football game on Monday night – Giants/Washington? Bob Costas kind of opened up a can of worms by voicing his thoughts, at halftime, about if a certain football player didn’t have a gun, both he and his girlfriend would still be alive. Hey, Mr. Costas – what should be outlawed next? Knives? Baseball bats? Frying pans?

DO YOU REMEMBER JANUARY 3, 2007? READ THIS
This tells the story, why Bush was so bad at the end of his term…
Don’t just skim over this, it’s not very long, read it slowly and let it sink in. If in doubt, check it out!!!
The day the democrats took over was not January 22nd 2009, it was actually January 3rd 2007 the day the Democrats took over the House of Representatives and the Senate, at the very start of the 110th Congress.The Democrat Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995.
For those who are listening to the liberals propagating the fallacy that everything is “Bush’s Fault”, think about this:
January 3rd, 2007 was the day the Democrats took over the Senate and the Congress.
At the time:
The DOW Jones closed at 12,621.77
The GDP for the previous quarter was 3.5%
The Unemployment rate was 4.6%
George Bush’s Economic policies SET A RECORD of 52 STRAIGHT MONTHS of JOB GROWTH
Remember the day…
January 3rd, 2007 was the day that Barney Frank took over the House Financial Services Committee and Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee.
The economic meltdown that happened 15 months later was in what part of the economy?
BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES!
Unemployment… to this CRISIS by (among MANY other things) dumping 5-6 TRILLION Dollars of toxic loans on the economy from YOUR Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac FIASCOES!
Bush asked Congress 17 TIMES to stop Fannie & Freddie – starting in 2001 because it was financially risky for the US economy.
And who took the THIRD highest pay-off from Fannie Mae AND Freddie Mac? OBAMA
And who fought against reform of Fannie and Freddie?OBAMA and the Democrat Congress
So when someone tries to blame Bush.
REMEMBER JANUARY 3rd, 2007…. THE DAY THE DEMOCRATS TOOK OVER!”
Budgets do not come from the White House. They come from Congress and the party that controlled Congress since January 2007 is the Democrat Party.
Furthermore, the Democrats controlled the budget process for 2008 & 2009 as well as 2010 &2011.
In that first year, they had to contend with George Bush, which caused them to compromise on spending, when Bush somewhat belatedly got tough on spending increases.
For 2009 though, Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid bypassed George Bush entirely, passing continuing resolutions to keep government running until Barack Obama could take office. At that time, they passed a massive omnibus spending bill to complete the 2009 budgets.
And where was Barack Obama during this time? He was a member of that very Congress that passed all of these massive spending bills, and he signed the omnibus bill as President to complete 2009.
If the Democrats inherited any deficit, it was the 2007 deficit, the last of the Republican budgets. That deficit was the lowest in five years, and the fourth straight decline in deficit spending. After that, Democrats in Congress took control of spending, and that includes Barack Obama, who voted for the budgets.
If Obama inherited anything, he inherited it from himself.
In a nutshell, what Obama is saying is I inherited a deficit that I voted for and then I voted to expand that deficit four-fold since January 20th.
There is no way this will be widely publicized,unless each of us sends it on!

Found on Facebook:

Rhode Island will now light the Holiday Tree instead of the Christmas Tree.Every religion and every nationality has their own thoughts ,let them have their own damn celebration some where else in the state,to me it will always be a Christmas Tree.Politically correct is now the major divider in this once united country.The minority is controlling the majority.

Hey race fan’s.. My friend Mike Colsten is in the toughest race of his life. Please take a moment and say a prayer for him or drop him a card to let him know you’re thinking of him. I am so sure he’d appreciate it.

The 72nd Turkey Night Grand Prix from the ½ mile dirt Perris Speedway – thanks to Loud Pedal Productions and those that posted it on Facebook!

Photos:
Note: The photos are not available on Dirt Track Digest, only on New England Tractor – http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/

The photo posted on Facebook from Ron Lauer – Tony Bonadies in the Wheeler # 21 and Ed “Dutch” Schaefer in the Wheeler # 62. Photo taken at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, N.J. Midgets were so much better looking back then! You could see the drivers!

Closing with this:
HYMN # 365
This is too funny – but I suspect the minister didn’t appreciate it.

A minister was completing a temperance sermon. With great
emphasis he said,
‘If I had all the beer in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river.’

With even greater emphasis he said,
‘And if I had all the wine in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river.’

And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he said,
‘And if I had all the whiskey in the world,
I’d take it and pour it into the river.’

Sermon complete, he sat down…

The song leader stood very cautiously and announced
with a smile, nearly laughing, ‘For our closing song,
Let us sing Hymn #365, ‘Shall We Gather at the River.’

Again – Special notice: There will be no column next week.

Wishing all race fans, drivers, teams, team owners and sponsors to remain safe and out of harms way!

As usual, you can reach me at: ygordad@yahoo.com

This Week in Racing

Feature Column

By JEREMY ELLIOTT (Patriot News) No matter how big the media outlet – ESPN, USA Today or CNN – it can’t take away the one common characteristic of a Sprint Car fan: passion. If anything, it enhances it. When the sport is put in a bad light on a national stage, the numbers on the cars or men in the seat no longer matter. This clan rallies around the sport as a whole and flips the middle finger to the rest of the world. That’s one of many things that makes Sprint Car racing great. But it’s also one of…More

"

Super DIRTcar Series

INDIANAPOLIS – Dec. 11, 2014 – The Super DIRTcar Series announced today at the Performance Racing Industry tradeshow a combination of traditional events and races at new venues will make up its 2015 schedule. The 29-race series kicks off during the DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment Feb. 18-21 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. The series championship begins April 25 with a 100-lapper at Fulton (N.Y.) Speedway before an exciting Wednesday night return on May 20 to Canandaigua (N.Y.) Speedway followed on Wednesday, May 27, to Brockville Ontario Speedway. A four-race slate of events in June begins…More

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series

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World of Outlaws Late Model Car Series

By JOSHUA JOINER OCALA, Fla. – Feb. 13, 2015 – Turning around his sluggish start to the season, Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., topped a late duel with Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., during Friday’s DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned A-Main at Bubba Raceway Park to earn a $5,000 victory during the opening night of the fourth annual Bubba Army Winter Nationals. Lanigan, the three-time and defending World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion, rallied after losing the lead to Richards on lap 20 of the 30-lapper and retook command when Richards struggled with traffic on lap 26. The 44-year-old Lanigan pulled away…More

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GIBSONTON, FL – “We just missed the set-up in that first race tonight; we had just enough time to make some adjustments for this race. We won that first heat so that put us on the pole. The car was really good. I had a little bit of a push getting into turn two, but otherwise, the car was not a handful like the previous nights. I was hoping maybe Jr. could get up there so we could take first and second.” “I have so many people to thank; Messilla Valley Transportation, Henderson Motorsports, Watters Auto Land, Clements Engines, Longhorn Chassis,…More

DIRTcar 358 and Sportsman Tours

CONCORD, N.C. – Feb. 4, 2015 – DIRTcar 358-Modified racers will have more incentive than ever to race not only their home tracks this season, but also the series in the fall. In addition to the traditional post Labor Day series events, drivers will earn points during the season from the new Super Series Starter (SSS) Events at their weekly tracks. The 2015 358-Modified Series Championship combines Home Track Points, plus “SSS” points, plus points from the Fall Series events to equal the Championship. The weekly track Mr. DIRTcar program similar to last year’s runs from now until Sept. 6…More